8 Best Christmas Toys at Target Hitting Shelves Now

The year’s top toys at Target are topping a lot of kids wish lists — and some could only be 2025 it toys — enter the new Nintendo that rocked the business world — that’s our one big ticket item that made the cut. Others, though, are enduringly desirable and blessedly affordable.

Kids these days have not gotten sufficient slime time. When it first became a craze on Instagram, there were glue shortages, now there’s Slime-themed Glue kits at the ready. And the little ones keep charming their way into new friendships with DIY wrist candy. We’ve peppered in some nostalgia for those who want to escape to LEGO’s crazy realistic rendering of the Chocolate Room from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, new this year, and Wicked in Polly Pocket form in honor of the second installment out very soon.

Christmas is, after, all for kids from 1 to 92.

We couldn’t find Labubu at Target and whatever the craze it does not seem worth the energy, nor the Starbucks bear cup. But don’t these adorable Squishmallows achieve the same squish-tastic effect of Labu-who sans drama? We’re saying yes and this box of Disney Lilo & Stitch pals is easy to wrap and feels Christmas-y in that you’re getting a quadrant of squish. A squish squad, so to speak. (This move dethroned this summer’s Mission Impossible at the box office over Labor Day as Tom Cruise hanging onto a plane for dear life was no match for these lil guys.) It’s $19.99. That’s like $ a mallow under the tree.

You’ve seen these around I think. If not, Taylor Swift joked on the Graham Norton show where she was showing off her new hardware that she wished she invested in a different kind of jewelry: charms. (She has given the exchange-able crafty fun a powerful dose of publicity thanks to her Eras tour.) Charms aren’t just for Swifties though. This bauble bar bag charm kit is a manual, screen-free activity that taps into the tykes’ creativitiy. Sugarfix has the popular clear box with zones for the different colors as they get busy with beadwork. It comes with 630 beads including a rainbow of options and evil eyes, stars and letters. When I was in Japan, home of all things toy obsessions, all the cool girls had little plush animals or charms on their bags.

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I’ve seen this set Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory LEGO set built firsthand and it is such a faithful reconstruction of the most imaginative movie scene. Fun facts the kids really saw the chocolate room for the first time to help with authentic reactions to the wonder of it all. The less fun fact is that the creamy chocolate did not smell sweet under the heat of the camera lights. But back to this set. You’ve got oompa loompas, the boat, and the little yellow edible butter cups, and of course the eccentric William Wonka himself. A wonderful winter project for kids of every age.

That’s an involved but rewarding one with the price to match. On the very affordable side, if you’d like to take a page from this kid’s book, check out this LEGO vending machine that’s $179 that’s interactive through the winter.

This is an ice cream slime party in a box so that the kids can start making cherry-topped cones and milkshakes. It’s perfect for play dates and parties and endlessly entertaining. Think about it. Slime legitimately has everything on the most wanted toys of the season in one. You make your own. It has has the fun of play dough, the beads of the charm set, and it has enough monetization potential so that you can quit your job and start living off your children. The ASMR possibilities alone! Seriously, these are so fun and the ice cream party slimy set is such an adorable take on the trend that is not going anywhere anytime soon. Prepare for cleanup of course, but that’s part of the fun.

If slime on its own isn’t enough and you want to make a career girl to aspire to, there’s Barbie in play dough form, one of the lastingly hottest toys of the year that’s gone on sale after debuting in early 2025. Mattel and Hasbro joined forces to Play dough Barbie so kid can play fashion designer and stamp shapes into her, mold her hair and cut out seemingly limitless style eras for the most famous doll. There are so many iterations of this doll and the cutters are divine.

Color reveal cars for $5.59  will help supply the sense of wonder for next to nothing. (A new decoration on each car is revealed after a dip in the reusable dunk tank you fill with warm water, and the cup comes with the set.) Everybody’s talking about this one, and it calls to mind other water fun and games. Simple and pure. This one’s for 3 years and up. If that’s not enough toys, just go for the classic — a 20-car gift pack. It has a “I just got a huge present that’s bigger than I am feel.” The kind you place on your lap. Or spring for the dinosaur playset. For boys, we think this is way cooler than those Stomp Rockets.

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I just saw the televised Wicked spectacular and it was just so pure, despite all the risky vertical integration and edits straight to the movie and product placement. This cast really cares. So this Wicked For Good Polly Pocket toy for $32 complete with the Popular dorm room scene, makes perfect sense, and will keep them busy on holiday travels.

The usual suspects are all there: Ga-linda, her bubble, Elphaba, her hat, and the Wizard, and his wizard face — which was an excellent mockumentary style bit on the TV courtesy of deadpan dad god Jeff Goldblum.

It was the gaming release that shook up the year. No word on whether or not there will be Black Friday discounts but the rumor mill is spinning and the outlook’s not great. The console itself is suggested retail for $499, but it’s $50 for the Mario Kart bundle. Mario’s world is very enchanting. All the third parties are getting in on Switch and it’s fun for a crowd. You get someone this and you’re officially the cool relative.